Keel type carton



Oct. 14, 1969 N. v. MORGESE 3,472,370

KEEL TYPE CARTON Filed Feb. 18, 1965 316.4- JNVENTOR N \cuomsv. Moaaese ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,472,370 KEEL TYPE CARTON Nicholas V. Morgese, Haverstraw, N.Y., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 433,668 Int. Cl. B65d 85/62 US. Cl. 206-65 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure has to do with a carton of the wraparound type wherein one of the panels thereof which engages ends of containers is provided with a plurality of aligned keel forming elements. Each element is generally H-shaped in outline and is connected at one end to the panel. Each element is centrally reversely folded and has the opposite end thereof'resting on supports projecting generally into the openings from which the elements are struck. Each folded H-shaped element defines, in combination with its respective panel, a pair of openings for receiving end portions of containers in interlocked engagement.

This invention relates to a blank and a carton for retaining a group of containers and more specifically to a keel which serves to position and separate the containers in a six-pack type carton. The keel may be positioned on the bottom panel, the top panel, or both panels of the carton or the blank before the carton is formed.

The packaging of beverage containers usually employs a carton of paperboard surrounding a group of containers disposed in two parallel rows, the number of containers in each carton usually being six. Hence, the term sixpack or six-pack carrier or carton has arisen. The configuration of the containers usually dictate the configuration of the blank or the carton assembled from the blank. Obviously, the prime requisite is that the carton or carrier retains its contents, the containers, within the carton so as to be reasonably free from breakage as well as inadvertent removal of the containers from the carton.

In order that the blanks from which the cartons are fabricated be economically produced, it is intuitively clear that the punched-out areas of the carton be kept at a minimum and wherever possible, portions of the blank be utilized to perform certain functions in the assembled carton. In this manner, the addition of other supporting structure to the carton from material not present in the blank is unnecessary since it increases the expense and also contributes to increased assembly time. Accordingly, it is most desirable from an economic point of view as to savings in material and assembly time, that the blank be formed along with all supporting structure from a substantially rectangular stock of paperboard. This manner of operation produces little waste and facilitates shipping as well as subsequent assembly of the carton or carrier about a group of containers.

Accordingly, it becomes the principal object of the present invention to improve carrier blanks and the cartons or carriers formed therefrom which retain a group of containers disposed therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to improve container carriers having a keel positioned within the carrier for assisting in the retention of the containers therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to improve container carriers having a keel positioned within the carrier, the keel being formed from portions of the carrier, for assisting in the retention of the containers therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to improve 3,472,370 Patented Oct. 14, 1969 container carriers having a keel positioned within the carrier for assisting in the retention of the containers therein, the keel being formed from portions of the carrier and being bifurcated and folded upwardly to snugly engage the containers.

It is a further object of the present invention to improve container carriers having a keel positioned within the carrier for assisting in the retention of the containers therein, the keel being formed from portions of the carrier, each portion having the shape of the alphabetical character H, one end of the H being secured to the carrier along a fold line and the other end of the H being displaced away from its punched position and resting on or secured to projections from the carrier, the keel being folded along the connecting line of the character H.

These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing a container carrier wherein a keel is formed in either the top panel or the bottom panel of the blank by severing the blank at a plurality of positions, the severing having the general configuration of the alphabetical character H. The material is not completely severed from the blank but remains connected to the blank by fold lines at one end of the H. The projection thus formed is then folded along the connecting line of the legs of the H so that the free ends of the H may be folded against the ends of the H still secured to the blank. The projections forming the keel are disposed in a substantially straight line so as to equally divide the panel in which they are formed. The number of projections forming the keel are usually equal to the number of pairs of containers to be positioned in the assembled carton or carrier. In this manner, a double thickness keel is provided with each of the elements or projections serving to retain a pair of containers in the carton. In addition, it will be intuitively clear that the remaining panels of the carton cooperate with the keel to retain the containers in the assembled carton. By folding over and making a double thickness of each of the projections of the keel, an area is provided between the extending legs of the H for receiving the chime of a metal container. The free ends of the H projection are supported by small tabs or projections which are left to extend. into the area in which the material was removed to form the projection. In a second embodiment of the invention, the free ends of the projection may be secured to the projecting tabs in any suitable manner such as by glue or other sealing material. The keel may be formed in the bottom panel, the top panel, or even on both panels.

The invention both as to its organization and method of operation together with further objects and advantages thereof will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an assembled carton and illustrating one of the elements of the keel positioned between a pair of containers, the containers being shown in phantom outline;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a portion of the blank from which the carton of FIGURE 1 was formed and illustrating the H-shaped elements which cooperate to form the keel;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and showing the keel in position between a pair of containers;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 and showing the side elevation of the elements forming the keel;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the elements forming the keel, the element being in a raised position prior to its final position as shown in the FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of the keel showing the free end of the H element folded back and adhesively secured to projecting tabs.

A carton 10 is illustrated in FIGURE 1 and reference will first be made to FIGURE 2 relative to the elements forming the keel. As shown in FIGURE 2, the carton 10 including a side panel 12 and a side panel 14 are joined by an intermediate panel 16. A plurality of H-shaped elements or projections 18, as viewed with the side panel 12 closest to the viewer, are formed substantially in-line and are shown as being three in number. Usually, the number of elements 18 will be equal in number to onehalf the number of containers to be positioned in the assembled carton 10. Each if the elements 18 are completely severed from the intermediate panel 16 except at a first fold line 20 and a second fold line 22 which fold lines 20 and 22 are at the junction of the lower legs of the elements 18 and the intermediate panel 16. One of the legs of the elements 18 may be identified as 24 while the other leg may be identified as leg 26. The legs 24 and 26 are joined by a transverse connecting portion or line 28 which is folded along a fold line 30, substantially perpendicular to the legs 24 and 26. The fold line 30 may be intermittently severed so as to permit the elements 18 to be conveniently folded double along the partially severed fold line 30. Also, the upper end of the leg 24 is folded along a line 32 while the other leg 26, is folded in a similar manner along the line 34. The outer edges of the legs 24 and 26 are not substantially rectilinear but are formed with a small tab or projection 36 projecting into the leg 24 and a similar tab 38 projecting into the leg 26. The upper or free end of the leg 24 past the fold line 32 is identified as 40 while the identical projection of the leg 26 is identified as 42. In the assembled carton, the projection 40 rests upon the tab 36 while the projection 42 rests upon the tab 38. In this manner, a double thickness keel is provided by the elements 18 when so assembled.

With continued reference to FIGURE 2, the side panel 12 is connected to the intermediate panel 16 by an intermittent fold line 44. In a similar manner, the side panel 14 is connected to the intermediate panel 16 by the intermittent fold line 46. In the areas where the fold lines 44 and 46 are discontinuous, the blank is severed so as to provide a plurality of projecting tabs 48 which are substantially in line with the elements 18 and equal in number to the number of containers to be assembled in the final carton. Extending from each of the tabs 48 and in the side panels 12 and 14, is a short severed line 50 which permits the containers in the final carton to cause the carton to bulge slightly about the severed lines 50 with the chime of the containers resting in or on the projecting tabs 48.

With reference to FIGURE 1, the carton 10 is shown in its assembled position and a pair of containers 50 are shown in position and in phantom outlines. A chime 54 of the container 52 extends through a slot formed in the area of the projecting tab 48 when the blank of FIGURE 2 is folded into the carton of FIGURE 1 while the opposite side of the chime 54 rests upon the projections 40 and 42 of the legs 24 and 26, respectively, and slightly into the area below the connecting portion 28. The carton 10 is provided with a top panel having a first section 56 and a second section 58. However, it will be readily understood that the sections 56 and 58 would readily serve as a lower panel while the intermediate panel 16 functioned as the upper panel or top panel.

The first section 56 is severed and folded near its end so as to provide an upper keel 60 which is identical to the keel formed by the elements 18 and extends longitudinally of the carton and serves to separate the rows of containers. In addition, a plurality of slots 62 are formed in the first section 56 so as to receive mating locking tabs 64 which extend from the end of the second section 58.

In addition, the second section 58 has a transverse fold line 66 which is severed at 68- so as to form small locking tabs which cooperate with the first section 56 to retain the locking tabs 64 within their respective slots 62. Also, a plurality of apertures 70 are formed along the second section 58 and foldable tabs 72 which are formed from the material removed from the apertures 70 are folded inwardly and cooperate with the upper keel 60. A pair of apertures 72 and 72 are formed in the second section 58 of the top panel so as to facilitate the transportation of the carton 10 when grasped with the fingers extending through the apertures 72 and 72'.

The fragmentary view of one of the elements 18 forming the keel is shown in an intermediate position in FIG- URE 5. As the element 18 is lifted out of the aperture formed by the removal of the H-shaped element, there remains projecting into the aperture the tabs 36 and 38 as previously set forth, as well as a projection 74 and a projection 76 which are formed between the free end of the legs 24 and 26 and the secured end of the same legs, respectively. The bottom of the container 52 would extend over the projection 74 while the chime 54 of a container 52 would extend substantially to the end of the projection 76. This is assuming, of course, that the element 18 has been moved into the position shown in FIGURE 1 where the projection 40 rests upon the tab 36 and the projection 42 rests upon the tab 38.

FIGURE 3 shows the double thickness element 18 forming the keel positioned between a pair of containers. By so positioning, the containers 52 are snugly retained within the carton 10 since the connecting portion 28 of each of the elements 18 tend to urge their respective containers outwardly toward the side walls 12 and 14.

FIGURE 4 discloses an elevational view of the elements 18. The projection 40 of the leg 24 is shown resting on the tab 36 and the projection 42 of the leg 26 is shown resting upon the tab 38. With reference to FIGURE 6, the element 18 is substantially identical to the elements 18 of the earlier figures except that the projecting tabs 36 and 38 have been provided with an adhesive so as to confine the element 18 in the position shown. The employment of adhesive to position the projections 40 and 42 in a rather semi-permanent manner may facilitate the assembly of the containers 52 into the blank for distribution as a carton.

There has been described, a container carrier which is provided with a keel for assisting in the retention of the containers within the carrier. The keel is formed only from material of the blank upon which it is supported and is of a double thickness and of a configuration so as to engage the chime of a container and When the containers are placed in a side-by-side relationship, the keel gently urges the containers against their respective side walls so as to assist in the retention of the containers in the carrier. The keel may be formed on the bottom panel, the top panel or even on both panels.

Thus, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and the essential characteristics of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A blank comprising a pair of side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels, and an intermediate panel joined to edges of said side panels opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of openings, and displaceable material within each opening hinged to said intermediate panel for folding to form an opening and a double thickness keel to divide said intermediate panel, and said intermediate panel having tabs projecting into each opening for forming supports for said folded material.

2. A blank comprising a pair of side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels, and an intermediate panel joined to edges of said side panels opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of H-shaped openings in substantial alignment and in a transverse direction to said blank, and displaceable material within and conforming in outline to said openings hinged to said intermediate panel at the ends of one pair of legs of the H for forming a keel for dividing said intermediate panel.

3. A blank comprising a pair of side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels, and an intermediate panel joined to edges of said side panels opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of substantially H-shaped openings in alignment and in transverse direction to said blank, each opening being contoured as to include projections of said intermediate panel into the area between the legs of the H directed toward the cross bar part thereof and a pair of tabs aligned with and directed toward the cross bar part, and displaceable material within and conforming in outline to said H-shaped openings hinged to said intermediate panel at the ends of one pair of legs of the H, the material including a fold line along the cross bar part so as to permit the other pair of the legs of the material to rest on said tabs and thereby form a keel along said intermediate panel.

4. A blank comprising a pair of side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels, and an intermediate panel joined to edges of said side panels opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of substantially H-shaped openings in alignment and in a transverse direction to said blank, each opening being contoured as to include projections of said intermediate panel into the area between the legs of the tabs aligned with and directed toward the cross bar part, and displaceable material within and conforming in outline to said H-shaped openings hinged to said intermediate panel at the ends of one pair of legs of the H, the material including a fold line along the cross bar part, and means to secure the other pair of the legs of the material to said tabs to thereby form a keel along said intermediate panel.

5. A blank comprising a pair of side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels, said closure panel bearing locking tabs and apertures and foldable projections for forming a keel on said closure panel, and an intermediate panel joined to edges of said side panel opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of openings, and displaceable material within each opening which is bifurcated in opposite directions and hinged to said intermediate panel for forming a keel to divide said intermediate panel.

6. A blank comprising a pair of side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels, said closure panel bearing locking tabs and apertures and H shaped foldable projections for forming a keel on said closure panel, and an intermediate panel joined to edges of said side panel opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of substantially H- shaped openings in alignment and in a transverse direction of said blank, each opening being contoured as to include projections of said intermediate panel into the area between the legs of the H directed toward the cross bar part thereof and a pair of tabs aligned with and directed toward the cross bar part, and displaceable material within and conforming in outline to said H shaped openings hinged to said intermediate panel at the ends of one pair of legs of the H, the material including a fold line along the cross bar part so as to permit the other pair of legs of the material to rest on said tabs and thereby form a keel along said intermediate panel.

7. A wrap-around carton for retaining a group of con tainers disposed in two parallel rows comprising a pair of substantially parallel vertical side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels and substantially perpendicular thereto and an intermediate panel joined to edges of said side panels opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of bifurcated hinged projections formed from said intermediate panel for providing a keel to thereby separate said intermediate panel along the parallel rows, each of said projections being bifurcated at opposite ends thereof and being connected at one end only thereof to said intermediate panel.

8. A wraparound carton for retaining a group of containers disposed in two parallel rows comprising a pair of substantially parallel vertical side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels and substantially perpendicular thereto and an intermediate panel joined to edges of said side panels opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of H-shaped openings in substantial alignment and in a transverse direction to said carton, and displaced material from within and conforming in outline to said openings hinged to said intermediate panel at the end of one pair of legs of the H and forming a keel for separating the rows of containers.

9. A wrap-around carton for retaining a group of containers disposed in two parallel rows comprising a pair of substantially parallel vertical side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels and substantially perpendicular thereto and an intermediate panel joined to edges of said side panels opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of substantially H-shaped openings in alignment and in a transverse direciton to said blank, each opening being contoured as to include projections of said intermediate panel into the area between the legs of the H directed toward the cross bar part thereof and a pair of tabs aligned with and directed toward the cross bar part, and displaced material from within and conforming in outline to said H-shaped openings hinged to said intermediate panel at the ends of one pair of legs of the H, the material including a fold line along the cross bar part so as to permit the other pair of legs of the material to rest on said tabs and thereby form a keel along said intermediate panel.

10. A wrap-around carton for retaining a group of containers disposed in two parallel rows comprising a pair of substantially parallel vertical side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels and substantially perpendicular thereto, said closure panel bearing locking tabs and apertures and foldable projections for forming a keel on said closure panel to define an area for a row of containers, and an intermediate panel having a plurality of openings, and displaced material from each opening H-shaped in outline and hinged at one end to said intermediate panel and supported at the other end on said intermediate panel for forming a keel to divide said intermediate panel, the keel of said closure panel and the keel of said intermediate panel being in face-to-face relationship.

11. A package comprising a group of containers disposed in a pair of side-by-side rows and a wrap-around carton for retaining said group of containers as disposed, said carton comprising a pair of substantially parallel vertical side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels, said closure panel bearing locking tabs and apertures and foldable projections for forming a keel on said closure panel disposed between the rows of the group of containers, and an intermediate panel joined to edges of said side panels opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of apertures, and displaced material from said apertures H-shaped in outline and hinged to said intermediate panel for forming a double thickness keel positioned between the rows of containers and in substantial alignment therewith, said keels cooperating with all of said panels to snugly position said containers in said package.

12. A wrap-around carton for retaining a group of containers disposed in two parallel rows comprising a pair of side panels, a closure panel joined to an edge of each of said side panels, and an intermediate panel adjoined to the edges of said side panels opposite to said closure panel, said intermediate panel having a plurality of H- shaped members struck therefrom While remaining hingedly connected at one end thereof to said intermediate panel, each member being centrally transversely folded to have a double thickness in providing at opposite sides thereof in combination with said intermediate panel openings for interlockingly receiving containers.

13, In a wrap-around carton for retaining a group of containers disposed in two parallel rows and wherein said carton includes a plurality of container retaining panels including two opposed panels for engaging opposite ends of containers, and at least one of said opposed panels having a plurality of H-shaped members struck therefrom while remaining hingedly connected at one end only thereof to said one opposed panel, each member being centrally transversely folded to have a double thickness in providing at opposite sides thereof in combination with said one opposed panel openings for interlockingly receiving containers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Joslin 229-29 Brundin 229-29 Bamburg a- 229-27 Sanford.

DePaul 206-6 Weiss 229-,40 Olsen ct a]. 220-112 XR Patterson 229 Hahnemann 229 Wood 206-65 Arneson 206-65 US. Cl. X.R. 

